One of the most satisfying experiences a fisherman can have is to catch a fish on a fishing lure he has fashioned with his own hands.

It is not necessary to be a skilled craftsman to make lures. If they possess the ability to handle the few necessary tools, they can make excellent lures. The lures may not look professionally perfect, but they will catch fish, and that's all that really counts.

And if the angler makes his own lures, he'll probably catch more fish, in the long run. The reason for this is psychological. An angler who uses a store-bought plug or jig tends to be hesitant about casting it around rocks, logs, piles, and masses of seaweed.

He figures he paid good money for it and doesn't want to lose it - even though he knows some of the best fish are caught around such obstructions. And other lures such as jigs are most effective when bounced on the bottom, when they often get fouled and lost. So, rather than lose his costly lures our cautious angler casts into safer spots, which contain fewer fish!

Making fishing lures can be an enjoyable hobby, especially during the long winter months when fishing is slow. It has even been argued that the joy of designing and creating a lure offers as much if not more pleasure than the actual fishing.

Before you can make any kind of fishing lures you must have the proper tools. In fact, without the right tools you can't do a good job, and you'll soon become discouraged. On the other hand, if you are equipped with the right tools you'll find lure-making easy and highly enjoyable. So the best procedure is to obtain as many of the necessary tools in advance before you start making your own lures.

Most anglers will already have some tools The rest can be bought without too much of an investment, and the others can be acquired as the need arises.

The biggest single item needed for making fishing lures is a bench, table, or desk. Fortunate, indeed, is the man who has a basement, den, or special room where he can have a permanent workbench and various power tools to pursue his hobbies.

After you have such a bench, table, or desk you need a vise which will hold the various lures for drilling, filing, bending, and other operations. Almost any bench vise of good size will serve the purpose. Unless you have a permanent workbench, this vise doesn't have to be fastened to the table or desk until needed.

A small anvil is also useful if you plan to make many metal lures or parts for such lures. It is used for cutting, bending, punching, and riveting. However, if you get a big bench vise of the machinist's or utility type you can use the anvil surface found on such vises. Or you can use a small block of iron with a smooth surface as a makeshift anvil.

A hammer, of course, is a basic tool for any kind of work, and for making fishing lures about two or three hammers will suffice. If you already have a claw hammer, you can use it for many lure-making jobs.

At least two saws will be needed. If you already have a hand saw it can be used for working with wood.

Some kind of drill is needed for drilling holes in wood and metal. If you have a home workshop with a drill press you can use it for most of the work to be done. It is especially useful when drilling holes in metal. A portable electric drill is also a big aid when drilling metal, especially if you have to drill many holes.

Pliers, files, screwdrivers and a sharp knife are the only other essential tools needed for making lures.

With these tools, the fisherman is able to make any number of lures irresistible to fish.